The 20 most popular study abroad countries for US students

Every semester, college students pack their bags and jet off to foreign countries to study abroad. The experience allows them to learn things they wouldn't be able to learn in their college classrooms.

The Institute of International Education, a not-for-profit organization that researches the movement of international students, found that 304,467 American students studied abroad during the 2013-2014 school year - the most recent data available.

The IIE's "Open Doors Data" is compiled with the help of the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State. With this data, the IIE broke down the number of American studying in each country.

Business Insider used IIE's research to find the top 20 countries and then researched the basics of what they need to know before moving there: official language, currency, and exchange rate (as of early August). We then looked to Lonely Planet for the cost of a typical low-budget meal, since studying abroad can get costly.

Europe is the continent of choice, with eight countries featured on the list. South America is in second place with five countries.

Read on to find out the 20 most popular countries where American students study abroad.